WELCOME

Where did the summer go? We’re already fast approaching autumn – bad news for fans of sunshine and tennis, but good news for us tabletop gamers as shows like this month’s Gen Con and October’s Essen prepare to reveal the games we have to look forwards to for the next year. In fact, Gen Con’s brightest star is our cover feature this week: Paizo’s sci-fi follow-up to legendary RPG Pathfinder, Starfinder. To celebrate the massive launch, we’ve not only got an exclusive interview with the game’s creative director on page 22, but you can also hear what we think in our review over on page 76. That’s far from all this issue, as we’re also taking the time to celebrate the tabletop legacy of two of the greatest fantasy worlds ever to make the page: J.R.R. Tolkien’s land of Middle-earth, which turns 80 years old this year, and Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, which is being marked with a new 20th anniversary edition of its classic 1990s RPG. Elsewhere, we speak with Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith and his son Cody about their work on the influential ‘80s RPG and the upcoming tabletop adaptation of the Witcher video games. Plus, we’ve rounded up the best of this year’s UK Games Expo – the biggest yet! Happy gaming!

About Tabletop Gaming

Cover feature: Starfinder: We have an exclusive chat with creative director James Sutter about the huge sci-fi sequel to massively popular fantasy RPG Pathfinder. Featuring exclusive artwork from the upcoming game.
Awe of the Ring: As Middle-earth prepares to turn 80, we speak to influential and renowned creators of board games based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
UK Games Expo 2017: Picture Special: The unmissable sights and games from the UK’s biggest gaming show.
Swords, Sex & Sci-fi: Legendary RPG designer and R. Talsorian founder Mike Pondsmith and his son Cody speak exclusively to us about the legacy of revolutionary game Cyberpunk and their upcoming tabletop adaptation of lauded fantasy video game The Witcher.
What War Is Good For: Fans and publishers of miniature wargaming titles tell us how battling on the tabletop has fostered a strong sense of community.
Playing With Yourself: Creators of single-player-only games tell us why gaming alone can be just as rewarding.
How Analogue Gaming Went Digital: We take a close look at the rise of digital apps in the tabletop world.
Rediscovering the Disc: In celebration of next year’s 20th anniversary of Discworld, the creators look back on one of the more unique entries in the genre.
The Making of: Hunt a Killer, which uses a subscription box-like format to deliver a mystery game to players over the course of several months.
Painting guide: We tackle the eighth edition of Warhammer 40,000.
Ten of the Best: Word Games (That aren’t Scrabble).
Introduction to: Forbidden Island and its sequel, Forbidden Desert – the kid-friendly Pandemic follow-up.
Columns: With Bruno Faidutti, Jeff Tidball, Holly Gramazio and Doctors Paul Wake and Sam Illingworth
Played: The latest reviews and exclusive interviews including: Starfinder, Sub Terra and Warhammer 40,000.